Baby Hermella, in life-support court battle, dies in Children's Hospital
Parents fought to keep their daughter on life-support despite the opinion of doctors
The baby girl at the centre of a court battle over whether to leave her on life-support has died at the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary.
Nine-month-old baby Hermella, who died on Dec. 20, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer when she was two months old. That cancer was successfully treated, but Hermella reportedly contracted a virus that doctors said left her brain dead.
Her parents, Anna Motsyk and Will Mammo, said their daughter was responding to light, touch, voices and music, and they did not want to take her off life-support, despite the insistence of doctors.
"We were told that our daughter was dead on Aug. 17 and then, on Sept. 23, we were told that she's alive," Mammo told reporters outside the Calgary Courts Centre on Dec. 7 after winning a temporary injunction against the hospital.
"And now, we are told that she's recovering, but it's not significant enough to get to a meaningful recovery."
Doctors said the significance the family attached to some of the baby's physical movements was different from the significance physicians attached to it.
One doctor said the chance of Hermella making a recovery was approaching "nil."
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The case was due back in court on Jan. 4 after the Lethbridge couple secured legal representation.
The Open Arms Patient Advocacy Society set up a fund for the family to help pay for expenses while they stayed at the Children's Hospital and will be closing the fund and releasing the money to the family.
"We are shocked and saddened to hear that Baby Hermella passed away," said spokesperson Nirmala Naidoo. "The family is in pain and is taking time to grieve. We urge everyone to give them time to do so privately."